Gear-shift indicator



Nov. s, ma n 1,690,956`

T. TCKUHISA GEAR SHIFT v INDICATOR Filed Sept. 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 a f v Nov. 46, 1928. 1,690,956

T. TOKUHISA GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR vFiled sept. 28, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTORI:

ToKUsAURo ToKumsA.

BYATTE Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

- UNiTEosTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

TOKUSABUBO TOVKUHISA, F I'IOLLYXIOOI),,CALIFORNIA.A

GEAR-SHIFT, INDICATOR.

Application filed September 28, 1927. Serial 222,538.

This inventionrelatesto an indicator device adapted to show the several positions of the transmission gear of an automobile, relative to change of'speed and the reverse position.

n The obj ect of. this invention is to provide in;v

' In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View l of my improved indicator showing the top cover removed. Fig. 2 is al longitudinal and vertical sectional view of the indicator. Fig. .3 is a side elevation of the upper signal member. Fig. 4 isa side elevation of a lower signal member. Fig. 5 is a b ottomplan view of a lower signal member. Fig. 6 is a bottom f plan View of the opposite lower signal mem,

ber. F ig.Y 7 is atop plan view ofthe actuating mechanism for the signal members. A 8 is a top plan view of the actuating signal mechanism, showing one actuating lever shifted to operative position,A Fig. 9 is a side elevation ofthe actuating mechanism for the signal members, the casing therefor andl '30 the gear shift lever being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view'of an 'automobile steering column, 'showiiigmy sig-v nal device appliedthereto. Fig. 11 is atop planview of the cover for the signal actuating mechanism. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the frame for the signal actuating mechanism. Referring tothe drawings, the'sig'nal device consists of a housing21, having a clamp por-` tion 22, for. securing the housing tov a steering column 23. Thelhousing 21 is provided with a cover 24, having the aperture 25, provided with a transp'arent'closure member 26.j

Draw bolts 27 secure the cover' to the housing. VThe clamp member` 22jis hingedly connected to the housing. 1 A light diffusing memberv 28 is disposed within the housing, and supports a signal arm .stop 29." Signal arms 30, 31, 32 and 33, aremounted on sup# porting shafts 34. The uppermost signal portion 35, and the lowermost arms have a colored glass portion 36. The uppermost right signal varm is providedrwith a blue colored portion. The uppermost left signal arm 31, has a green colored portion. The lowermost right signal arm hasl a red portion.

Fig. i

arm 55,r connected to a cable. vof the gear shift lever to anyV operative po-y ',sition'will therefore actuate a signal arm within the housing, to an operative positionarms 30 and 31, each have a colored glass- Tlie lowermost left signal arm has Va purple colored portion. i i

To actuate the signal armste display positions, I providel a cable 37 forl the right signal arm 30; acable 38 for the left upper signal arm 31, a cable 39,'for the right lowermost signal arm 32, and acable 40, for the left lowermost signal arm 33. The actuating cables pass'over pulleys 41. The respective cables37, 38, 39 vand 40, are secured, respectively, to springs 42,43, 44 and 45, which in turn, are `secured to short arms 46, on the signal arms. ,Upon theactuation of any re-VV spective cable, a signal arm is operated/to a display position-beneath the k'transparent 29 limits thel movement of any of thesignal arms. Anelectric illuminating bulb 46fisv disposed within the-housing and in opposivfclosure member 26 in the cover. The stoption to `the display aperture, and is connected to the energizing terminals 47 and 48.' A

switch 49 is included in one ofthe terminals.

`Upon release of any ofthe signal arms, when in display position, they are actuated to their non-display posit-ion, by retiacting springs 50, connected to the housingand to members 51 on the signal arms.k Springs 42, 43,v 44

and745, are of greater strength than the re-l tracting springs 50, and they allow a certain latitudein the adjustment of the actuatingV cables to which' they are connected.

To secure themovein'ent of the actuating cables for the signal arms,vI providea standi `ard frame member 51 adapted to be mounted acent to the gearshift lever'52.z On frame 51,Y I mount the bell-'crank levers 53, each havingpan arm 54 inthe path of the gear shift lever when shifted to'any of its operative positions, and each bell-crank lever having an vbeneath thef'display aperture in the cover.

vUpon shifting the gear lever Vtoy its neutralV position, the springs 42, 43, 44 or 45, will 4 actuate a respective bell-crank'lever on frame v '51, to its neutral'position. I providev 'a housing 56, for the frame memberl, anda cover 57, for the vhousing 56. Housing 56 is shown in dotted lines in 9.

The shifting ico y l In use, the operator will merely shift the gear-shift lever to any operative position as desired', whereupon the signal indicating the position of the gear, will be displayed automatically in the aperture of the signal housing. For night use, the switch i9 may be turned to closed position, thereby energizing the bulb lili, and the respective signals will be illuminated.

The signal arms signal elements of colored glass, each color indicating an operative position of the gear shift lever, but it is to be understood 1Lvhat the signal arms may be provided with letters or other characters which .will indicate the desired signals. The signal housing is shown located on the steering column, but may be positioned upon the dash, or other suitable portion of the automobile for displaying the signals. For retaining the bell-crank levers in neutral position Tivhen the gear shift lever is actuated to oserative position, l provide stop pins 57, on the frame member l/Vhat is claimed is: 1

l. ln a signal device, the combination With a housing, and a cover for the housing having a transparent aperture therein, of shafts disposed Within the lnous oscillatable signal arms operatively in Anted on the shafts and adapted to registerl with the aperture, and normally in an inoperative positionV relative to the aperture, a stop` element to limit the movement of the signalV arri" when actuated to operative position, sp ngs arranged to retract the signal arms to inopera to operative position.

2. In a signal device, a housing and a cover therefor having a display aperture, of shafts disposed Within the housing, oscillatable signal armsI mounted on the shafts and each having a distinctive color, each signal arm lying normally in an inoperativev positionrelative to the aperture, means for actuating the signal arms selectively to operative `position beneath the signal aperture, means for retracting the signal arms to their inoperative positiomand a stop element Within the housing, limiting the movementof lall signal arms When in oper ative position. Y y i Y 3. ln a signal device, the combination With a housing and a cover for the-housing having a display aperture, of shafts mounted `Within the housing and one on either side of the aperture, signal arms mounted on said shafts, and normally lying ininoperative position, and means for actuating the signalarm selectively to their operative position beneath the aperture, a stop limiting the movement ofthe sigf nal arms when in display position, and retracting means operative when the arms are l released.

are shown provided withtive posi-rr tion, and means for actuating the signal arms the combination with lactuating; means are in neutral position.

5. In a sional device for a gear shift lever,

signal arms each having a different color characteristic, a housing for'the'siffnal arms, a cover for the housing having a t isplay aperture intermediate the signal arms,said signal arms being normally in non-display position, elements connecting` the gear-shift leverand signal arms and arranged to move the arms vselectively to operative position on actuation the shift lever, resilient elements interposed in the connecting elements, a stop element limiting the movement of all signal arms in ldisplay position, and retracting means for the signal arms Whenthe actuating elements are in neutral position.

6. In `a signal device, a standard adapted to be arranged adjacent to a gear shift lever,

bell-crank levers mounted on the standard and adapted to 4be actuated bythe lever when 'shifted to any of its operative positions, sig- Vnal devices apart from thestanda-rd, and

connecting elements between the Vsignal devices and the bell-crank levers whereby the signal devices are operated selectively to a display position upon actuation of the gear shift lever. l

7. In a signal device, signal arms each havv,ing Va diiferent color'characteristic, a'liousing for the signal arms, a cover for the housing havinga display aperture, shafts for the signal arms mounted in the housing, a stop member Within the housing and between the supporting shafts, cables foractuating the sig-- nal arms from non-display positionto a display position beneaththe aperture, a spring With each cable, levers for actuating" said cables and arranged to be actuated selectively lby the movement of the gear shift lever of an automobile, othersprings arranged to retract the arms to non-display position whenl the gear shift lever is moved to neutral positionand a coverfor the actuating means. Y

In` testimony Whereof,I hereunto my signature. i

Toirusimuno renin-nei. 

